Business Ethics: An Interactive Introduction connects the academic to the practical, extracting the basic elements of rigorous philosophical ethics into a format that can be understood and applied in the business world. Concepts such as utility, duty, and sustainability are given practical value and connected to examples and methods familiar to business people. Classical ethical theories are surveyed, as are modern perspectives on justice, equality, and the environment. Where possible, quantitative examples and methods are used to show that ethics need not be subjective or vague.
Kernohan provides an overview of the basic tools of ethical decision-making and shows how each can be used to resolve moral problems in business environments. Readers are then invited to apply those tools by completing a series of online exercises, receiving immediate objective feedback on their success. The book and its accompanying exercises thus work in concert, offering a unique opportunity for interactive self-directed learning.
Table of Contents:
Acknowledgements
Introduction to the Reader
Introduction to the Instructor
Chapter 1: Ethical Decisions in Business
Chapter 2: The Nature of Ethical Reasoning
Chapter 3: Self-Interest and the Dilemmas of Cooperation
Chapter 4: Calculating Consequences and Utilitarian Reasoning
Chapter 5: Motivations, Duties, and Rights
Chapter 6: Fairness and Distributive Justice
Chapter 7: Virtue Ethics and Community Membership
Chapter 8: Feminism, Equality, and Care Ethics
Chapter 9: Moral Accountability
Chapter 10: Respecting Autonomy and Privacy
Chapter 11: Free Enterprise and Global Justice
Chapter 12: Sustainability and the Environment
Glossary
Bibliography
Index
About the Author :
Andrew Kernohan is Adjunct Professor of Philosophy at Dalhousie University and author of Environmental Ethics: An Interactive Introduction (Broadview Press, 2012).
Review :
“Business Ethics: An Interactive Introduction is a fascinating and valuable work. Kernohan incorporates economic insights (including behavioral decision theory) to a degree rare in business ethics texts, and ends each chapter with a useful case study. In sum, this is an outstanding text.” — Gary James Jason, California State University, Fullerton
“The interactive component of the text is a great way to engage students and help them apply ethical concepts to solve real business dilemmas.” — Gwendolyn Whitfield, University of North Carolina Asheville
“A complete course of instruction, Business Ethics: An Interactive Introduction is the perfect introduction to understanding the essential role and enduring importance of ethics in a business transaction of any kind. Impressively well written, exceptionally well organized and presented ….” — John Taylor, Midwest Book Review
“In addition to well-designed supplemental digital resources for both instructors and students, the hardcopy text is fully indexed and contains a useful glossary of terms. Quantitative examples and methods are used throughout the text to improve readability and demonstrate that business ethics need not be subjective or vague … Students need to be actively engaged with both ethical theory and case applications to develop moral competence in business. This book will help them complement business competence with a foundational level of moral competence.” — Joseph A. Petrick, Teaching Philosophy
